Sound-reproducing device



y 1939. E. SCHWARTZ 2,158,554

SOUND-REPRODUCING DEVICE Fi led June 22, 1938 r f J i/ H: My 17 1W 2- 3i 5 i jf? Z Z; d! 1 fig:

INVENTOR ATTORNEY. I

.i atented May 16, 1939 UNITED stares SQUNHD-REPfiGDUCING IDEWEE Edward Schwartz, New York, N. E2, assign'er to The Sound Fublieity Earp New York, N. Y... a corporation of New York Appiicatien June 22, 1938, Serial No. 215,253

iii Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sound-reproducing devices and is directed more particularly to the provision of a novel article of manufacture having a sound-track member which is movable in a certain way so as to produce sounds.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a sound-producing device which is simple in form so as to be economical to manufacture and which may be manually operated. As a special feature the device includes a record or sound-track member associated with a sup port in such a way that one end or" the record member may be engaged and the member may be moved relative to its support so that sounds are reproduced.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a movable record member having means associated therewith whereby the record member is prevented from becoming entirely detached from its support as it is moved relative thereto.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a sound-track or record member consisting of an elongated flexible strip having sound-reproducing characteristics on one surface and having a reinforcing or strengthening element carried on its opposite surface.

Various other-objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following description and refer= ence will be had therein to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan,view of the'device of the invention;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of one end portion of the sound-track member of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of a modified form of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a partial side elevational view of a modified form of sound-track member.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fully described, first with reference to Figs. 1-3 inclusive.

What I call a support member 2 is provided and while this may take various forms, it preferably consists of a relatively flat and thin but stifiish card member. This card member 2 serves, as will appear, as a diaphragm for its sound-producing function.

(El. We -1E) A sound-track or record member A is provided and this consists of a tape or strip of flexible material formed to have a plurality of spaced grooves 6 in its outer surface running transversely of the strip. The strip t may be variously formed but I have found Celluloid or the like to be especially suitable in that the grooves may be easily engraved therein and a thin strip of this material is sufficiently flexible.

What Icail a clip member is associated with the support member 2 and it has a transversely extending part for yieldingly bearing on the grooved surface of the tape 5, as will appear. Preferabiy the clip also includes a pair of spaced substantially parallel arm parts 11d which extend away from the tape-engaging part 8 and these are adapted to serve as guides for the tape as it is moved relative to the card 2.

That is to say, the parts id extend in the same direction as the tape and are at opposite sides thereof, as shown, with the part 8 which extends between the arms iii, overlying the tape. Thus the tape is guided as it is moved longitudinally relative tn the support.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the clip member consists of a single piece of spring-like wire which extends through suitable openings in the card and is bent to have opposite end portions 52 disposed adjacent the baci: face of the card as shown in Fig. 2. The transverse part 3 and the arm parts it, of course, he adjacent the forward face of the card and the arrangement is such that the clip is held in place with the part B pressing against the tape for its sordid-producing function as well as to hold the tape flat against the card.

The tape which, as stated, is flexible is moved substantially parallel to the plane of the diaphragm as will be appreciated. If desired an opening such as it may be provided in the card, either above the clip or below it as shown, and one end of the tape Q may be inserted therein. This serves as additional guiding means and tends to keep the tape flat against the card.

In operation one end of the tape is manually engaged and the tape is moved upwardly or downwardly, whichever is desired and depending on the manner in which the grooves are engraved therein, so that the tape is moved between the arm: parts l0 and relative to the transverse part 8 so that the latter engages the engraved surface so as to'produce the sounds.

- It is desirable that some means be provided to prevent the tape and support from becoming disassociated and to this end I bend the opposite end portions of the strip over upon themselves as shown in Fig. -3. I then slide over the adjacently-disposed parts a sleeve member such as l6 which may take various forms but preferably consists of a tube of rubber or the like which. is adapted to frictionally hold the parts together.

This not only prevents the tape from sliding entirely through opening l4 and/or from under part 8 and it also provides means whereby the opposite ends of the tape may be more easily grasped between the fingers when it is desired to pull the record strip.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown a modification of the device of the invention and this includes a support 2' similar to the card 2 with a record strip 4 movable relative thereto.

Here, however, the clip consists of a unitary piece'of sheet material, such as metal, bent intermediate its ends and inserted through an opening I4 in the card. The clip includes a rear part l2 which frictionally engages the rear surface of the card 2' and a forward part H) which has an offset portion l8 which yieldingly engages the sound-producing surface of the tape with a spring-like action.

The intermediate part of the clip is provided with an opening 22 through which the tape extends and this serves to guide it in its movements in much the same manner as the spaced parts l0.

As a special feature, the record strip 4 or 4' may have on its reverse side that is the side which is opposite its grooved surface, a strengthening or reinforcing member 20. This member may consist of fabric, paper, or any other material which will reinforce the strip without impairing its flexibility.

It is one of the features of the invention that the device may be utilized as a greeting card. Thus, the card 2 may bear suitable words and/or pictorial material and the sound-track member may be adapted to reproduce words which are appropriate therefor.

This is one reason why it is desirable that the card preferably have a flat forward surface and the tape be movable in a plane parallel therewith as it facilitates packing of the devices for shipment, their ready insertion in envelopes for mailing, and it also makes it possible for one to see 'what is on the card at the same time as the sounds are being reproduced.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of. the invention. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a

diaphragm member, an elongated flexible record member associated with said member and movable longitudinally relative thereto, and a clip member associated with said diaphragm mem-.- ber having a transversely-extending -part for yieldingly pressing the record member against said diaphragm member, and a part for guiding said record member in its longitudinal movements.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a card member having a substantially flat forward surface, an elongated flexible record member associated with said card member and movable ubstantially in the plane of said surface, and a clip member having a rear part engaging the rear side of said card member and a forward part for yieldingly pressing the record member against said forward surface.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a diaphragm member, an elongated flexible record member associated with said member and movable longitudinally relative thereto, a clip member associated with said diaphragm member having a transversely-extending part for yieldingly pressing the record member against said diaphragm member, a part for guiding said record member in its longitudinal movements, and a flexible reinforcing member carried by said record member.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a diaphragm member, an elongated flexible record member associated with said member and movable longitudinally relative thereto, and a clip member associated with said diaphragm member including a pair of spaced longitudinally-extending parts for guiding said record member in its longitudinal movements and a transversely-extending part for yieldingly pressing the record member against said diaphragm member.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a diaphragm member, an elongatedfiexible record strip associated with said member and movable longitudinally relative thereto, a member associated with said diaphragm member having a part for yieldingly pressing the record strip therea'gainst, the opposite end portions of said record strip' being bent back upon themselves, and retaining members on said opposite end portions of the strip for retaining them in bent over relation.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a card member having a substantially flat forward surface, an elongated flexible record member associated with said card member and movable substantially in the plane of said surface, and a clip member having an intermediate portion extending through said card member and a rear part engaging the rear side of said card member and a forward part yieldingly pressing the recor member against said forward surface.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a card member having a substantially flat forward surface, an elongated flexible record member associated with said card member and movable substantially in the plane of said surface, and a clip member having an-intermediate portion extending through said card member and a rear part engaging the rear side of said card member and a forward part yieldingly pressing the record member against said forwardsurface, said record member extending through an opening provided in said clip member.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a diaphragm member, an elongated flexible record member associated with said member and movable longitudinally relative thereto, and means associated with said diaphragm member for simultaneously guiding said record member in its longitudinal movements and yieldingly pressing upon the same as it is moved so as to hold it flat against said surface and cause it to reproduce sounds.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a soundreproducing device comprising in combination, a

diaphragm member having opposed vsurfaces, an.

piece of cardboard, an elongated flexible record strip associated with said piece of cardboard and movable longitudinally relative thereto, and means associated with said piece of cardboard for yieldingly pressing upon the record strip so as to hold it flat against a surface of said piece of cardboard and cause the strip to reproduce sounds;

10. As a new article of manufacture, a sound- 10 reproducing device comprising in combination, a

elongated flexible record member associated with said member and movable longitudinally relative thereto,.and a clip member associated with said diaphragm member consisting of a unitary piece of spring metal bent intermediate its ends and having one end yieldingly pressing the record member against one surface and its other end portion engaging the opposite surface.

EDWARD SCHWARTZ. 

